Colombian National Police, Supported by CIRF, Dismantle Child Sexual Abuse Networks Amid Rising Online Threat

Cúcuta, Colombia – The proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online has surged, driven by the increasing internet access among children and the exploitation of vulnerable populations, particularly along the Colombia-Venezuela border. Unsupervised online activity in chat rooms, gaming platforms, and social media has exposed children to predators who manipulate them into producing explicit content, often unaware of its sinister intent. In regions like Venezuela, where economic instability and other crises drive migration, children are especially at risk of being coerced by organized crime groups into creating CSAM.

A stark example unfolded in Cúcuta, Colombia, where a young woman was forced by a criminal group at an illegal border crossing to work in a clandestine webcam studio producing CSAM. Vast stretches of the Colombia-Venezuela border—characterized by dense jungles, rugged mountains, and hazardous waterways provide ideal cover for transnational criminal organizations, including ex-FARC mafia, the ELN, Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua prison gang, and local operators. These groups exploit the region’s geography and Colombia’s strategic position as a gateway to South America, bordering five countries, to run illicit operations with minimal interference from government forces.

On September 21, 2023, the Colombian National Police, with critical logistical and investigative support from the Children’s International Rescue Foundation (CIRF), conducted a sweeping operation in Cúcuta. The effort dismantled two CSAM webcam studios, two fraudulent document factories facilitating child trafficking and sexual exploitation, and two brothels exploiting both adults and children. These operations targeted networks profiting from the abuse of vulnerable populations, particularly migrant children.

“The rugged terrain and porous borders make it challenging for security forces to regulate migrant flows and combat these crimes,” said a Colombian National Police spokesperson. “CIRF’s support is invaluable in navigating these difficult regions and bringing perpetrators to justice.”

The CIRF expressed gratitude for public support, emphasizing its role in enabling these high-impact operations. “We are deeply thankful for the contributions that allow us to fight these evil networks profiting from harming children,” a CIRF representative stated.